Shackles
by olansamuelle
Summary: A one-shot exploring how did Agron and Duro ended up as slaves, focused on Duro's perspective.


**Title: **Shackles

**Rating: **T.

**Notes: **originally written for the livejournal community spartacus2010's first comment ficfest. Prompt: Duro, free no more. **For those who already read it: **no substantial changes made during the re-write, just a few corrections.

**Summary: **During Season 1. A telling focusing on the German brothers as they lose their freedom

_**OOOOO**_

He ran, frantic, following his brother's command, to their parents' house. "Da! Ma! The Romans are headed this way, killing and slaving people, you must leave!," he said as soon as he crossed the door.

Their father, the village's blacksmith, rose from the chair and called his wife. "Gudrun, the horses quick!" He turned to his youngest son. "Where's your brother?"

"He joined the soldiers, Da, he fights the Romans as we speak." Duro watched their father fall silent yet not devoid of pride, and straightened himself for the announcement. "I will join him, presently, I'm only here to warn you."

"Don't, boy. You will die," was the firm answer.

"I will protect Agron," he insisted.

"With what?," his father inquired. "You do not even know how to hold a sword."

"Yes I do." Then he added, almost sheepishly. "I…I took your old blade, and have been doing drills at night for moons now. Brandeis instructed me."

"Duro..." His mother, back again in the house and aware of the conversation, pleaded.

"Go now. I will go to my brother and we will fight as one. I will not leave his side," he promised, "like you taught him to do with me."

His father walked to him and studied his face for a long moment. His eyes wore no trace of fury, but a mixture of sadness and pride. "The boy has become a man."

Duro's heart pumped in his chest.

"Go make us proud. Your brother proud. And be by his side."

A silent handshake to his father and a hug from his mother were the last moments Duro spent with them. Not stopping to see both go, he ran back towards the fight, holding with firm grasp the sword his father had given as a last gift.

He arrived too late.

Countless bodies were on the ground, the battle ended. In the distance, the Roman horses already heading for main camp. Closer to where he was hiding, his eyes caught sight of a small group of familiar faces, all shackled and tied to a rope. Duro swallowed as he saw his brother among the prisoners, and his father's words echoed in his mind. _Go make us proud. Your brother proud. And be by his side._

Opportunity presented itself and Duro took the chance without sparing a thought. One of the soldiers, had remained behind to make report of the Roman casualties. A low rank guard, he thought, if they gave him the job of walking among the dead, the putrid smell and the maggots to identify the bodies. A brave deed would spare him from the task next time, and he would get to fight as a man.

Duro crawled around him and, unseen, caught him from behind, the edge of his blade secured firmly around his neck. "Take me to the rest of the prisoners and I will spare your fucking life." He gave the man no chance to speak. The Roman stood still, frozen by the knowledge of his fate in the hands of that barbarian. "Take me to them." Duro wasn't asking.

"You have no chance to kill them."

"You misunderstand my words, pig. I want to be taken to them." He saw the metal fetters hanging from his belt. "Use the shackles and make yourself a hero." He pressed the blade. "Understood?"

The Roman nodded. Duro freed him slowly and stood, letting the Roman stand up and face him, still shaking and unsure to trust the young man facing him. Until he saw his calm face. Until he saw him throw his sword on the ground and extending his arms towards him, palms open and looking at the sky.

Shackled, Duro approached the group of prisoners, knowing his fate as a slave. "See the tall German at the end of the line? I am his brother. Make sure your generals know it. Selling two brothers together will give them more coin."

And thus he walked away from freedom, knowing his brother would look at him in shame and sadness for disobeying him. But knowing he had stuck to his promise, and making an oath to himself. One day he would make his brother proud. One day he would save Agron's life.

_**Fin.**_


End file.
